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| Nuclear Power's Role in Energy
Production, 2002 (WNA)
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Developing countries are relying increasingly on nuclear power to overcome the high cost and energy insecurity associated with fossil fuels. As of August 2004, a total of 27 nuclear power plants are under construction in developing countries. Such trends give rise to fears that nuclear weapons proliferation could increase in the twenty first century. Nearly by definition, building nuclear power plants requires an industrial base of the sort that could produce nuclear weapons, as scientists with the skills to harness the atom for peaceful means might also be employed to divert fissile materials to clandestine weapons programs. Last month, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) director Mohamed ElBaradei announced that Iran was constructing a facility to enrich uranium. Iran has contended that enriching uranium would allow it to master the nuclear fuel cycle, providing its people with greater energy security. Others have argued that by enriching uranium, Iran, like North Korea, would be in a position to build nuclear weapons. In the arena of nuclear energy, the IAEA of the United Nations serves to investigate potential covert weapons development programs while increasing the role of atomic power worldwide. Set up as the world's "Atoms for Peace" organization in 1957, the Agency works with its member states and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies.
This month CIAO examines nuclear power and nuclear weapons proliferation.
From CIAO's database:
Double or Quits? The Global Future of Civil Nuclear Energy
Nuclear Power Is Still Going Strong
A Verification Regime for the Korean Peninsula
Israel’s Nuclear Policy: A Cost-Benefit Analysis
Dealing with Iran's Nuclear Program (PDF)
Considering the Options: U.S. Policy toward Iran’s Nuclear Program (PDF)
The Business of Russian Cooperation with Iran
Outside Links*:
In Focus : IAEA and Iran
http://www.iaea.org/NewsCenter/Focus/IaeaIran/index.shtml
New cracks in nuclear containment
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0915/p01s01-wogi.html
Missing Iraqi nuke equipment worries IAEA
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/10/12/iraq.nuclear/
Overview of Nuclear Energy
http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/intro.htm
Chapter 13: Nuclear Energy - Fission and Fusion
http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter13.html
* Outside links are not maintained. For broken outside links, CIAO recommends the Way Back Machine [http://www.archive.org/].
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